Case Studies

As a leader in Space Architecture, XArc has provided the knowledge and skills to complete architecture projects for a broad range of clients all over the world. Take a look at some of our featured Case Studies, ranging from the Virgin Galactic Terminal and Hangar Facility at Spaceport America, to Lunar Outpost Planning and Design.

CREATIVE PRACTICE LIST OF RESEARCH AND PROJECTS
Sample projects featured below are realized or business development projects currently in progress:

Architectural Programming and Concept of Operations for Spaceport America

XArc is a member of the Foster+Partners/URS architecture design team for the Virgin Galactic Terminal and Hanger Facility (THF) at Spaceport America, and provided programming analysis in the areas of site characterization, hanger operations assessment for spacecraft processing, crew training and astronaut experience, crew and pedestrian flow throughout the facility, and optimization of functional area layouts. (Images courtesy Foster+Partners)

Certain geo-morphologic features found at the Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park in British Columbia, Canada can serve as a terrestrial analog site for science research and testing of mission operations to lunar subsurface sites. Proposed is an analog mission investigating required science measurements with human performance objectives simulating robotic and human “first contact” with a lunar lava tube. The proposed geographic location for conducting the analog studies is within the protected area of the Nisga’a Lava Bed in proximity to the Tseax River Cone or Aiyansh Volcano where unmapped lava tubes exist.

Scope and Objectives of the Research: The idea is to get some understanding of first robotic and human contact with a lunar lava tube through the use of comparable terrestrial lava tube features. Basic scientific understanding of the features is necessary to locate them on the Moon as well as techniques of entering and examining them robotically and by Astronauts.

Proposed Methodology: Essentially we simulate a first scientific expedition to a lunar lava tube. By simulating missions to the features on Earth researchers can better understand direction and techniques of exploration of those features on the Moon. An international team of planetary scientists, caving and mining experts, robotic experts, and human performance experts has been assembled to investigate the best path for technology development and how sampling and science can be done on the lunar surface and underground.

XArc Corp is responsible for leading team coordination and program management, lava tube characterization for habitation technology, mission operations and human performance research.